Rail-joint.



w. H. MILLS.

RAIL JOINT. APPLICATION FILED FEB. l7, 19!].

1,274,926. Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

I UNITED STATES PATENT ornron, s

) WILLIAM H. MILLS, 0F SHERMAN, NEW YORK.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters lE atent. V Patented Aug". 6,1918.

Application filed February 17, 1917. Serial No. 149,331.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. MILLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sherman, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented certain useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

The present invention has reference generally to improvements in rail joints and chairs and more particularly relates to an improved rail joint. I

The invention is an improvement over Patent No. 633288 granted to moon September 19, 1899. In the construction of this patent it was necessary to employ additional fastening means for holding the wedge block against longitudinal movement with respect to the rail section and chair and it is a primary aim and object of the present invention therefore to overcome this objection by providing novel wedge means for cooperatmg with novel means formed integral with the rail chair whereby to effectively hold a pair of rail sections in abutting relation with each other without weakening the rails, all of the parts cotiperating with each other for preventing relative longitudinal movement.

Among the other aims and objects of the present invention may be recited the provision of a device of the character mentioned with a view to compactness, and in which the parts are few, the construction simple, the cost of production low and the efficiency high. 7

Other objects as well as the nature, characteristic features or scope of my invention will be more readily apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claim, forming a part of the specification.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective illustrating my invention, and,

Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now, more particularly, to the accompanying drawings I provide a pair of rail sections 1 supported on a chair 2 upon the upper face at one side edge of which is formed an integral rail engaging flange 3 which projects upwardly and inwardly so as to engage the upper surface of one side of the base flanges of the rail sections. Integrally formed with the upper surface of the chair 2 adjacent the opposite side edge is an upwardly and inwardly curved and tapered bar or upright portion 4, said bar extending longitudinally of the chair and terminating short of the under surface of theheads of the rail sections. It isto be observed that the inner surface of the bar is curved as indicated by the numeral 5 :while the outer surface is of a convex form as indicatedby the numeral 6.

With a view toward providing suitable means for retaining the rail sections in abutting relation with each other, I employ my improved wedge or block designated in its entirety by the numeral 7 and which is slidable to frictionally engagethe concave surface 5 of the bar 4 and the adjacent sides of the rail sections. In the present instance one side of the wedge or block is curved in a convex formation as indicated by the nu meral 8 and cooperates with the concave surface 5 of the bar 4:. The upper edge of the block is slanted as indicated by the numeral 9 and conforms to and frictionally engages the under surface of the heads of the rail sections when in the position indicated'in the drawing. The outer side of the wedge is straight as indicated by the numeral 10 for frictional engagement with one side of the rail sections while the under surface is provided with a longitudinally extending recess 11 to permit of the wedge to frictionally engage one side of the base flanges of the rail sections opposite to the sides engaged by the flange 3. It will be observed that the curved side 8 terminates at the outer edge of one wall of the recess as indicated by the numeral 12 and incidentally frictionally engages the upper surface of the chair 1 at this point to consequently increase the efiiciency of the engagement of the flange 3. Because of the construction and arrangement of the wedge or block 7 which frictionally engages the bar 4: and the rail sections 1, the rail sections and flange being also arranged in frictional engagement with each other, all of the sections cooperate with each other in preventing accidental longitudinal movement of the parts relative to each other,

It will be observed that the peculiar shape of the wedge block 7 in cross section together with the upright portion 4' of the chair which surrounds the curved portion of the bar provides means which tends to tighten the rails in the chair when there is a lateral pressure exerted on the treads of the rails, such as that exerted by the flanges of car wheels. A track employing the improved rail chair would be so arranged that the Wedge block I would be on the out-side of the track. Therefore the lateral pressure exerted: on the sides of the treads by the car wheels will tend to tighten. the rails in the chair rather than loosen the latter. The pressure from the flanges beingat the top of the rail, will tendto move the top of the rails outwardly but this upward pressure is transmitted laterally to the wedge block 7, causing its curved. surface to slide around the concaved surface of the portion 4% of the chair, which sliding results in: causing the shoulder 12 to press against the edge; of the rai l base, tending to: force. it over into fi rm engagement with the base engaging flange 3. Thus the: pressure which tends normally to force the rails apart is. redirected, so that it tends totighten the rails in: the choir;

instead of employing a single wedge or block 7 I also maintain the right to ernaploy two wedges or blocks extending throughout the entire length of the chair, and various other changes and improvements might be resorted to in the general form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and? scope of my invention, and hence-.1 would have it understood that I do not. wish to limit myself tothe precisedetails set forth, but'consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and modifications as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

The edge of the chair adjacent the bar may be provided with spaced recesses 13 for removably receiving suitable fastening de vices, (not shown) for anchoring the chair in position on the track bed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent-is The combination with a pair of rail sections joined endtoend, of a supporting chair for receiving the sections, the chair having an upwardly and inwardly extendingrail base engaging fl ange formed: integral with one side, the chair further-having an i-ipwardly extending portion! formed integral with the other side, the upwardly extending; portion being concave on the inside and the said portion tapering in: cross section: throughout its length, and a wedge block also tape-ring in cross section and: con forming in shape to-the concaved side of the said upwardly extending portion and conforming also; to the shape of the rail sections between the bottom face of the treads, the

sides; of the webs and? of the: top face of the (topicsof? this patent; may be obtained: for flare cents each; by: addressing the Commissioner: at Entrants;

Washingtonhaw 

